The Ways We Change
by EAD13
Summary: Life is good, and neither of them could have imagined where they'd end up. Alondra reflects on how things have changed, while Guzma carves out a new path to the future beside her. Includes some post-game spoilers. Aged up protagonist.
1. First Impressions

**Author's Note:** Credit to the Pokémon Sun/Moon games for the characters (sans Alondra), Pokémon, and a large chunk of dialogue used in the flashback.

I love Guzma. I've wanted to sort out my feelings for him through an aged-up female protagonist, and thus Alondra was created. She's 18 and I've placed Guzma at 23 during the events of Sun/Moon. I wanted Alondra to be different than the standard champion protagonist, so I played with making her a bit of a timid, anti-conflict trainer who doesn't even love battles. She just got dragged into Kukui's schemes when she arrived! I thought it would make for an interesting dynamic between her and Guzma. Also, for now this will be a one-shot, but I might add more if I can pull it off. Anyhow, enjoy!

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The sun set with a warm orange glow, light shimmering off the gently crashing waves of the coast. _Hmm, now that the rain has stopped, this place is actually rather beautiful,_ she mused as her fingers teased through his unruly white hair. Looking down at him, his eyes closed and breathing calm as he rested his head in her lap, she smiled. _And this just makes it better._

Everything had worked out somehow in the end. Hau was the champion he'd always dreamed of being, and continued to train under Hala to inherit the title of Kahuna one day. Good for him, the little guy was about the most positive, upbeat person she'd ever met, and as he matured, she was certain he would make an excellent kahuna that would inspire kids in all the right ways. As for Lillie and Gladion, they had their mother back despite the long road to recovery ahead of her, and both had found their purposes beyond just overcoming their doubts and fears. Timid Lillie with her lack of confidence had blossomed as she resolved to set out on her own Pokémon journey in Kanto. Gladion, with his sharp intellect and intense drive, had returned to Aether Corporation to begin undoing the damage his mother had done. As the heir to the corporation, he'd felt it his duty, but despite the weight of it even the usually dour boy had seemed to smile at the task before him.

The kids she'd travelled with were not the only ones who had changed for the best. The island of Ula'ula itself had the shadow lifted from it. Tapu Bulu, who had maintained a vengeful grudge against a former kahuna and the people under him, was finally appeased. The constant torrent of rain near Po Town stopped. The town was also on the road to recovery, though a few quirky bits of graffiti remained to remind all of its colorful past (she quite liked the art and had actually insisted some of it stay). Once the town had been put back together, its former inhabitants, the grunts, broke off into many directions. Some had gone back to attempt the trials again, including Plumeria, and were faring much better the second time around. The lucky ones with family that cared returned home to make amends after the years away. And some stayed. Po Town was no longer a ruin, nor was it going to return to a tourist location: it was home to Ula'ula's new kahuna, and the grunts were needed to run shops and businesses around town as trial-goers would flock there.

And no change had been greater than the one in the man on her lap. She shook her head, a warm smile still playing on her lips. Mr. Big Bad was about as big and bad as his Golisopod; they both looked terrifying, but show them affection and they practically purred. How long had it taken her to realize that? She could remember how he terrified her the first time they met…

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As Alondra entered Malie Garden, the first thing she noticed was a crowd gathered around the main bridge. For such a peaceful location it struck her as very odd. And it wasn't just a crowd admiring something; there was some kind of ruckus occurring. Over the muttering of the observers she could hear a young man's voice. She didn't need to be able to see to know he was from Team Skull; all he had to do was open his mouth.

"Yo yo yo, hold up yo Mr. Kukui. You say you wanna make a Pokémon league? You got rocks in your skull?" Ah so that was where the professor was. At the center of the chaos, no surprise there. But did those punks have the nerve to actually harass a man who had Rockruff tackle him in the name of research? Besides the fact that he was obviously the Masked Royal, a decorated battler who could fend off three Pokémon at a time? She snorted thinking about the mask she'd come all this way to deliver to him as if he and the Masked Royal were in no way connected. Everyone knew his identity unless they really did have rocks in their skulls! Well, there was Hau… Impatiently she pushed her way forwards through the throng just in time to see Kukui hold up his right hand and display four fingers.

"Four turns" he said confidently beaming as if he were in a friendly wager and not antagonized by thugs.

"Huh?" both chorused, missing his point entirely.

Still grinning he put his hands on his hips. "Bring it on, the both of you! I've been researching Pokémon moves, yeah, so I'm always ready, oh yeah! I'll take you both on in Battle Royal and you'll be down with just a Swift or Incinerate or two. You gotta beat the man to be the man boys." At that the crowd gave a delighted oooh. Alondra just rolled her eyes. Kukui was as dramatic and confident as always but the crowd just loved it. Made sense that he took to the ring for a hobby so he could ham it up. She actually was feeling sorrier for the grunts who were just burned. They were obviously out of their league, and even dense as they were they were starting to get nervous.

"Yo for real?" one of them stared.

"F-fine! You asked for it!" his accomplice added, trying to save face and clutching his Pokeball.

The crowd was clearly not in their corner. "Get 'em good, Professor!" one man shouted above the noise.

"You numskulls should learn your place!" another woman added, pointing an accusatory finger at them. Man, those chumps were cornered; they really hadn't planned this well at all. Alondra rested her palm over her eyes not wanting to watch those guys get absolutely destroyed. She could always beat them handily and she hadn't even finished her island trials yet.

Suddenly a new voice cut through. "Battle Royal huh? Nice idea there Kukui." She jerked her head up to find the source and saw that another Team Skull member had approached behind his comrades on the bridge. But there was something different about him. He didn't wear the same uniform, but rather sported loose black sweatpants and a short-sleeved black and white jacket worn open to reveal a white tank. Though he wore the same logo necklace as the others, his was golden and matched the flashy watch and bracelet on his wrists. A pair of bent yellow sunglasses on his forehead contrasting the white mop of hair completed the look. Perhaps the most the distinct difference was that he did not cover his face, leaving an arrogant smirk for everyone to see. In stark contrast to the young teens, his hands on his hips mirrored Kukui's confidence and the assurance of his voice commanded the attention of the mob, causing their jeers to die down. No, he was not just another Team Skull brat. Her gut told her he had to be a commander at the very least, like that Plumeria chick. She'd had the same aura. Yet even that wasn't quite true. Something was different from even her, but she couldn't decide what…

"You can beat down three Pokémon at once, huh?" He strode purposefully forward, the grunts dispersing to either side to make way for him as he stood right in front of Kukui and leaned down to get at eye level with him. Wow, he was actually pretty tall… And dang, were those tattoos on his forearms? Talk about hard-core. It didn't phase Kukui one bit though.

"It's Guzma!" one of the grunts muttered nervously, watching the confrontation with complete focus.

"The boss has graced us with his presence!" the other breathed, just as taken in. So, there it was. The leader of this criminal organization, walking around brazenly in broad daylight? She swallowed. He must be strong if he was willing to do that, which would be a complete shocker considering how wimpy all his subordinates were. But his swagger screamed it, the intensity of his eyes screamed it. The grunts were always playing at it and failing miserably, but when she studied him she saw total dominance in how he handled himself. It made her shiver.

"The hated boss who beats you down, and beats you down, and never lets up! Yeah, big bad Guzma is here!" Kukui just continued to give that idiotic grin as if his new adversary had told a funny joke. To be fair, it was hard to take what he said seriously given his overtly thug word choices. Still…how the heck could he do that with this intense man breathing in his face? "Greetings, cowering public!" he turned and shouted to his audience. "We have an exciting bout for you tonight! In the opposing corner, the Pokémon professor Kukui! And in this corner the Boss of Team Skull and the hardest guy around, Guzma!"

This said, he leaned back down to Kukui. "Here we are, Kukui…" His voice was lower now, but she was still close enough to hear if she focused hard enough. His tone seemed to completely change for this private exchange. "Fellow rejects who could never become captains. We've got all these moldy old traditions in Alola – the kahunas, the captains… It's about time we cut out all that silly garbage and make something new for ourselves." After the first sentence she was only half processing. This guy and Kukui…had a connection somehow? They had both vied for positions as captains? "Trust me, I get that. Don't get me wrong though, Kukui. We've got no need for a Pokémon league. After all, everyone already knows who the strongest trainer is on these islands."

"Speak for yourself, Guzma," Kukui smiled, though was it her or was it a bit dampened this time? "It's not like I couldn't become a captain. I chose not to. I had other dreams, see?" Closing his eyes, he turned away and took a few paces. "I wanted to figure out which moves would be strong enough to beat old Hala, and I finally found what I was looking for. The strongest moves you can use are the ones a trainer and their Pokémon choose together…in the heat of the moment when it really counts!" He turned back to face Guzma. "That's when I knew I had to make a Pokémon league, yeah, to give everybody a chance to be pushed to the limit with their team and find that perfect move." He paused. "Let's see it, Guzma. Show me your moves and prove you aren't just all talk. If you really can, that is." Yeah, she was sure of it. He had to know this Guzma guy. She couldn't imagine anyone dissing such a man if they didn't already know each other.

She was so lost in thought that she almost didn't hear Kukui address her. "Right, Alondra? Don't you agree?" If she'd been the swearing type, she would have let a choice word slip out when she realized he was addressing her. Why was he getting her involved in this?

"What?" she replied lamely, blushing. It seemed like the crowd stepped back just then, exposing her before the two combatting parties. She did not enjoy this attention, especially not from the stormy leader of Team Skull.

"So you're one of the kids on their island challenge?" He studied her, squinting, and his thorough examination made her want to turn invisible. He concluded with a snort. "Hmph, you're pretty old to be dong that sort of thing, ain't you? You some kinda exception to their worn-out traditions?"

"This here's Alondra. She just moved to Alola recently and was a few days shy of the cut-off point. The Tapu gave its blessing personally" Kukui explained. When she risked a glance at Guzma, she noticed the mention of her situation caused a darkness to cross his features. It was definitely anger, not just annoyance. _Professor, just stop! He's going to hate me if you don't stop!_ She begged internally. Of course he didn't. "Discovery! New experiences! Adventure! She's loving every minute of it. Alondra and her Primarina can unleash some real powerful moves." _No no no! Don't brag about my battle abilities! He's going to hate that!_ Right on cue his brow furrowed. "So if you think you are the strongest trainer on these islands, Guzma, why don't you battle her?"

Oh, he was twitching now. _Darn it Kukui, you just had to insult his pride and insinuate I am a match for this guy? You are some kind of sadist under that carefree facade!_ "Tch! This move fanatic is getting me all riled up!" Finally his gaze rested on her left wrist and the frown on his face deepened. "You've got a Z-ring, huh kid? Why even bother with the island challenge? What's the point of it?"

Oh boy, she had to answer a question now. She prayed her voice would not abandon her. "That's what I want to find out," she ventured. It was all she could say because if she were honest, she had no idea why beating unusually tough Pokémon and their allies was important for someone like her who'd rather explore and discover than battle.

He gave a dark chuckle. "See, there it is. You don't even know. They probably set you on that path because that's just what kids do here. And you, an outsider, don't even understand why, you just follow along." He shook his head violently. It seemed his frustration was reaching the breaking point, though what exactly bothered him was lost on her. "Watch closely Kukui. Someday I'm gonna destroy you. But first I'll destroy everything you care about!" He crossed his arms and his agitation seemed to reach a fever pitch. "Wanna see what destruction looks like? Here it is in human form – it's your boy Guzma!"

Suddenly he grabbed a Pokeball from his pocket and tossed it in the air. Everyone in the crowd pushed back as a huge, armor-plated Pokémon was released in a burst of light, towering before the girl. It chattered aggressively, antennae quivering. She should have been afraid of that, but despite how wary she was of its trainer, the Pokémon itself was an exciting new discovery. She'd never seen this species before, and her brain spun as she tried to decide what type it was so she could battle it properly. There wasn't much time to think, being that everyone was watching her intently to see how she'd respond. Her gut said ground type, so steeling her resolve, she called out Toño, her Primarina.

"Scald!" she commanded, beginning the battle. Toño obeyed, but the boiling water seemed to just drip off the creature. Guzma gave a cocky snort, clearly unimpressed by her lack of knowledge of his Pokémon, and commanded it to use Razor Shell in retaliation. While it wasn't effective the creature had such high attack that it did a fair amount of damage. Ah, a water type… Her face burned a bit in embarrassment as she hastily withdrew Primarina. Toño was her strongest but it was clear the opposing Pokémon had the upper hand in the matchup. She wracked her bran for what to do. If it was water, electric or grass would be great choices, but it still seemed like part bug… Electric would be the safest bet.

"Rafael, let's go!" she called as she released Magneton. Meanwhile, Guzma had his Pokémon using Sword's Dance to up its attack even further. "Quick use Spark!" But her opponent was faster and landed a Razor Shell before Magneton could respond. It was strong enough to knock it out in one blow. Now she was completely embarrassed as she withdrew her Pokémon, and her opponent's sneer seemed to grow. It was hard to say whether she was flustered because of him or having such a large audience, including Kukui.

Now there was nothing left to do but gamble on the bug part of the creature before her. "Osvaldo I'm counting on you!" she cried as she summoned her Toucannon. Its defense wasn't so great but if she could land a critical blow… Osvaldo was quick. He should have the first move. "Drill Peck!" As she anticipated the bird launched into action before its foe could respond, pecking the creature violently. She was surprised to see the giant bug return to its Pokeball upon being attacked. Apparently she wouldn't have to worry about surviving a blow after all.

"Well done Golisopod," Guzma murmured quietly, switching out Pokeballs. It was as if he didn't want anyone to hear him praising his Pokémon, but she heard it all the same. Could it be he actually cared about them? But people who stole Pokémon weren't supposed to be like that! Her thoughts were interrupted as he called out Ariados. Ah, at least this time she knew what she was dealing with. In response she switched out Osvaldo for Carlos, her dependable Arcanine. She figured she'd probably need Osvaldo when he brought back Golisopod.

Ariados had tried to sucker punch him, but without an attack it was useless. That left Carlos prepared with a Flame Wheel to finish the spider in one hit. "Return, Ariados." Then under his breath, he added "I'll heal ya up as soon as we're done." Again, completely out of character, but there was no time to contemplate that. There was a big decision to make as Golisopod returned to the battle: switch out right away or have Carlos go down fighting so she'd be guaranteed the first hit. Honestly, she was afraid if Toucannon didn't go first it would be taken out without a chance to do damage. This was a decision she always hated making and usually she was not forced to do it because she outclassed her opponents by that much. Guzma was forcing her hand. Licking her dry lips she gave Carlos the command: Extremespeed. It was guaranteed to go first and just maybe it would be enough…

It wasn't, and as soon as Golisopod withstood the attack it managed to use Razor Shell to knock Arcanine out. A bitter feeling overwhelmed her as she called him back, feeling responsible for his injures. "Thank you for your help, Carlos. I'll make sure to get you to the Pokecenter as soon as possible." Taking a deep breath, she summoned Osvaldo. "This is it. I'm counting on you to finish this." One drill peck later and it was done. She expected him to pull out another, praying it would be a Caterpie or something she could handle with her battered team, but to her relief it seemed he had only brought two Pokémon.

"I see. Great work, I guess…" he growled through gritted teeth, recalling Golisopod. Then, to her surprise, he stomped over while digging in his pocket for her earnings from the battle.

"Thanks?" Meekly, she held out her hands to accept it, but as soon as he passed the money off to her, his hands went to his head, grasping at his hair in a way that looked painful. She took a step back in fear.

"Guzma, what's wrong with you? Now's the time for your vaunted team to let loose and destroy everything!" It was bizarre, like he'd stopped paying attention to those around him and was having an angry conversation with himself. Was there…something wrong with him? He looked ready to fly off the handle, but oddly it seemed that he wasn't angry AT her, but rather at himself.

Her thoughts ground to a halt when he finally addressed her again. "It was Alondra, right? I'll remember you as someone I'll be happy to beat down any time!" He was looking at her now with a gaze that could pierce right through her, grey eyes sharp as daggers despite the bags under his eyes. It was as she feared: he was going to hold a grudge against her. Suddenly, he burst forward and right between her and Kukui. Even the previously heckling audience didn't dare raise their voices to mock him as he stormed out of the gardens. His abandoned grunts looked at each other nervously.

"Don't mess with the boss, yo! You don't want him to get serious!" one declared, doing his best to maintain his cool. With that, both followed behind in the path he had plowed. Just like that, the spectacle was over. What a relief…

Still, the crowd could be heard muttering, and she wished they would stop. "Team Skull will have to go lick their wounds now! Getting beat by a kid just doing her trials…" Part of her was incredibly relieved she'd been able to defeat that Guzma guy with everyone watching so she wouldn't be a failure. But oddly enough, another part of her wanted to lose just to calm him down. It had been a close battle, and hearing the people talk about him like he was some kind of weakling was wrong. He was stronger than anyone she had faced thus far in her trials, and if he'd been carrying more Pokémon…

"Aue, Alondra, you are one righteous trainer!" Kukui cheered, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "Great show!"

"Sir, it wasn't…"

"What did I say about the formalities? Drop the 'sir' thing!"

She heaved a sigh. "Fine. Kukui. Look, he was really strong. I got lucky, so don't go blowing this out of proportion. He looked mad enough the way it was…"

"Psht, he acts tough, but he's harmless," Kukui dismissed with a wave. "He'll just throw a fit or whatever and go sulk somewhere."

"Really? I guess that means you do know him, don't you?" she inquired, studying his face carefully.

She caught it. The moment his normal grin flickered. "Yeah, when we were young. But it's been a long time and things have changed. Don't worry about him, 'kay? He'll accomplish nothing but self destruction in the end." He shook his head. "There's no reasoning with him. Believe me, I've tried."

"So he wasn't always like this?"

Kukui shook his head again. "Forget it, Alondra. Let's get to the real reason I called you here, shall we?"

She sighed, following Kukui as he began to walk away from the bridge in the direction of the shelter in the middle of the garden. The discussion was closed, but it was obvious something had happened between them in the past. And whatever that something was, it seemed to have really mentally affected the boss of Team Skull. She winced as she recalled the pained look of distress on his face and his frustrated rantings as he lost the battle. It wasn't embarrassment that she could tell, loss of pride, or anything like that. Everything had been directed inward. It was the expression of someone who hated themselves, and she knew because she'd harbored similar feelings inside herself. When she thought of that, she realized she felt a little less afraid of him. That, and the way he spoke to his Pokémon. And…how oddly gracious he had been towards her when she defeated him. He was not a simple villain, and suddenly she was desperate to find out the secrets he held. Perhaps their paths would cross again. And if they did, at least this time she'd know what type his Golisopod was…

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She didn't realized she'd started giggle until he grunted, shifting in her lap. He raised his head groggily. "What's so funny?"

"I was just remembering the first time I met you and how intimidating you were. And then, just thinking about how cuddly you are, really."

"I ain't cuddly!" he pouted, getting up and scratching the back of his head with a slight blush. "I am destruction in human form!"

"Whatever you say, Guzma. But I happen to like cuddly destruction…"

He groaned and face palmed. "Don't you go around telling anybody else that! I've got a reputation as a hard dude that I need to maintain, ya know? Especially if I'm gonna be battling every day." He paused, turning his gaze to the horizon and frowning. There was silence, but she didn't push him to express his thoughts. She knew by now that he would express them when he was ready, and so they simply sat side-by-side on at the cliff's edge taking in the view. Finally, her patience was rewarded. "Did I really scare ya the first time ya saw me?" he asked quietly. "I know that's what I was aimin' for back then, but now…"

"Hmph, you know I was a total wimp back then. A dirty look had me cowering. But, more than that…even though you scared me a bit, I could tell there was something else there. And I wanted to find out what it was you were hiding. Happily, I figured it out, and now you're here with me."

"Couldn't fool ya, could I?" He reached around her shoulders and pulled her tight against his chest, breathing in the scent of her hair as the breeze sent strands floating in the air. "I'm glad someone was able to see through all my bullshit."

"And I'm glad that an awkward, quiet girl like me is good enough for you."

He snorted. "Hey, the real you ain't quiet at all!"

"Not many people figure that out," she insisted, then sighed. "Not many people have ever gotten to really know me…"

"I'm lucky I've gotten to. And I mean that, no joke." He looked away into the sunset once more. "Still can't believe everything worked out like this. There's nothing more I could ask for, and I got it all even after all the shit I did. So, I'm gonna make sure I earn it every day from here on out. I'm gonna make you the happiest girl in Alola. And I'm gonna be the best kahuna I can. Neither you or Tapu Bulu will regret taking a gamble on me."

"I believe you," Alondra murmured into his shoulder. "You're going to be great." Then, she perked up. "Speaking of that, tomorrow is your big day. We should probably head back to town and get ready for your first challengers."

"Yeah, I s'pose you're right." He stood up, then reached out a hand to haul her to her feet. His big hand found hers and their fingers intertwined as they started down the path. "But before calling it a day, I intend to work on my first promise…"


	2. Fresh Paint, Fresh Start

**Author's Note:** Okay, the one shot is now a two shot. Wonder if I can keep it up? I just like delving deeper into character's feelings and reactions during the game, besides obviously wanting a more satisfying ending for my boy.

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"Where are we going?" Alondra wondered as they passed the Pokémon Center, now lit up in the dark and ready to service the incoming trainers. As they'd been putting the town back together, the remaining grunts under Guzma and Alondra's leadership were forced to lay their heads in various spots depending on what was being worked on. However, the mansion was by far the biggest project to restore, and so they had never settled back into the normal Team Skull bunks inside at any point. The Pokémon Center had been the first building restored, and so they spent the most time sleeping there.

He snorted. "Ya really think we're spending the night in the Pokémon Center right before our first day of challengers? We can do better." Guzma gestured grandly to the building before them.

"You mean the inside of the mansion was finished in time?" she asked curiously, squinting in the dark at the impressive building. It had looked fine on the outside when she'd gotten a good look this morning, though she assumed that was because it was what most trainers would be seeing.

"Of course. And I got somethin' I want ya to see. Remember how I said I was gonna make ya the happiest girl in Alola?"

"Y-yeah…" she stuttered, blushing. Thank goodness for the dark…

Seeing her reaction, his face split into a wide grin. "Geez Alondra, it ain't anything like that! Did I corrupt ya that much?"

"Hmph." She pouted now, letting go of his hand and crossing her arms. His arm snaked its way around her waist and pulled her close.

"Not that I object, but that's not what I had in mind. You'll see." And there they were, standing before the doors to the mansion. He released his hold on her and moved to open the door. "After you."

"Tough, cool, AND a gentleman. I've really scored big," she gave a wry smile. Then, she stepped inside. Of course, it was pitch black. "Very nice…"

"I…oh shit, yeah, I forgot about lights. Hang on." He brushed past her and fumbled around for a few seconds before her eyes were assailed by the light of a grand bronze chandelier hanging above the main staircase, the very one that used to be fallen on the staircase. The carpet was brand new, and all traces of graffiti had disappeared from the walls, a fresh coat of paint covering everything and leaving an obvious smell. No more stacks of boxes littering the halls. Pictures were hung neatly on the walls, and tables were standing upright with vases and flowers. It was also noted that the place fairly sparkled it was so clean.

She couldn't help but gasp. "So THIS is what the place used to look like! I never would have recognized it!" It couldn't be any more different than the first time she passed through the mansion's doors two years ago…

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She'd come too far to stop now. Alondra had defeated the gate guards keeping vigil over the only entrance to the walled city, then battled her way across the town, crawling through holes under fences to get past the barricades. Only a decaying Pokémon center whose workers charged a fee for service kept her Pokémon healthy through it all. Once at the mansion, the clear headquarters for the gang, a continuous stream of battles everywhere she turned as she searched the dilapidated building for passwords. Even then, it wasn't as simple as climbing the stairs to the boss's room; the place was such a disaster that a large brass chandelier was obstructing the entire right staircase. Instead, she had gotten to take a perilous walk along a wooden plank walkway outside, slippery and soaked with rain. Now, after all that, she was finally standing outside his room, her heart racing in nervous anticipation. Hearing how some of the grunts talked about him, about not wanting to risk inciting his anger, she had to wonder if he wasn't always as controlled as he had been back in Malie. But, for the sake of that poor kidnapped Pokémon, she had to confront him, all fears aside. Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the door to where the big bad boss was waiting.

She hadn't been sure what to expect, but the state of the room surprised her. No, seriously, after seeing the state of the mansion, why did this surprise her? Shelves of empty bottles, graffiti sprayed over a formerly expensive painting on the wall (and also inadvertently applied to the carpeting as well)… And then there was the plush purple…throne? That was where Guzma was standing, hands on his hips, smirk on his face, and apparently fully aware she was coming. As if he wasn't tall enough, the chair he used as his throne was elevated on a riser of some kind with two end tables flanking either side. One held his laptop, making it really feel like the heart of the mansion.

"The hated boss who beats you down and beats you down and never lets up. Yeah, big bad Guzma is here!" At those words, he rose to his full height for the first time that she'd ever seen, completely radiating that air of dominance she'd recognized previously. She hoped she wasn't unconsciously shrinking… "I don't really get you, kid, but at least this is a change of pace. It's not every day someone comes straight to me for a beating!"

Her nerves may have been faltering, but she remembered why she was here. It wasn't about confronting him. "I'm here for the Pokémon your guys stole!" she declared with as much confidence as she could, clenching her hands into fists. "Taking it from a kid, how could you?"

"Ah, the Yungoos. How sweet of you to help out a sad little girl. And you came all the way here just for that?" His speech was interrupted by a shrill barking sound. Her eyes darted to the right, where a frightened Yungoos was being guarded by one of the countless grunts. It appeared unharmed. Strange, why was it just hanging out here in Guzma's room? Shouldn't it be caged up somewhere rather than be displayed when they knew she was coming? Something about it seemed fishy.

"Can't you just watch out for your own Pokémon and stay out of other people's business?"

She swallowed and shook her head. "No, I'm not much good at that."

He chuckled darkly. "You are one messed up kid. You wanna know what I do when some machine messes up? The first thing I do is give it a nice hard smack. I mean, most of the time I smash it to pieces, but hey, what can you do?" At that admission, her eyes widened. Did he actually break things in his anger? Scanning the room frantically, she noticed for the first time the way the arms of the throne were scratched and dented, as if someone had gripped them too tightly and dug their nails in. Beyond the grunt, an unusual flicker of light was, upon further inspection, shards of glass. He'd thrown a bottle against the wall? His aggressive voice brought her back. "Now, let's see if I can't fix you!" His hand found his Pokeball, and she quickly stepped back as he summoned Golisopod.

Having a Pokémon battle indoors was even harder when your opponent was a huge, towering insect, but this time Alondra had a strategy in place, knowing at least two of the Pokémon he would have. And all the battling to get to him had actually honed her Pokémon's' skills. Losing was not an option here, not like before. Though hard fought, the battle was not nearly as close as the previous one, and soon she had him beat, shocked that yet again, he only fought with two Pokémon.

"Yeah yeah, I gotta admit that was great…" he muttered darkly, reaching for his wallet. But unlike before, his anger seemed to bubble under the surface despite the compliment that she couldn't help but feel was sincere (no one was watching, EXPECTING him to be polite in the middle of Po Town). This time though, he flung the money down instead of handing it to her. And then it happened. "Guzma, what is wrong with you?!" he shouted, with no need to worry about a crowd judging him. Just like in Malie Garden, he suddenly grabbed at his hair and tugged in agitation, eyes wild. It had to hurt; was he trying to punish himself for his failure? Was this normal for him every time he lost? Did he do this after other unpleasant experiences? So many questions! It made her feel inexplicably sad for him, despite the parallel feeling of fear that came from his unpredictable outbursts.

He turned to the grunt, a dangerous look on his face. "Yo! Give the Pokémon back to the kid. NOW!" The grunt jumped and quickly obeyed without a sound, stepping aside and allowing Yungoos to run over to Alondra's side. Guzma watched it scamper off with a snarl. The grunt, having let it go, was quick to observe his boss's ire and scurried out of the room as if expecting an explosion. That left just him and her, alone in the middle of Team Skull territory in a dilapidated second-story bedroom, and he was looking at her with considerable malice. She was not so naïve that she couldn't imagine the countless horrible ways this could end. It took all she had not to let her knees shake under his glare.

"I'm gonna beat you down one of these days, no matter whose help I need to do it!" He took a menacing step forward, and Alondra was certain he was going to raise a hand to her personally. Without Pokémon, she'd be no match for him if he chose to get violent. Her face blanched and her eyes widened as he approached, limbs frozen in fear. But he didn't so much as give her a second glance as he stormed out of the room, slamming the door hard enough that the glass bottles rattled on the shelves. It took a moment to register, Alondra simply staring at the empty throne before her with watering eyes. Then, she sank to her knees and began to sob. She was scared, confused, angry, and so many other things she couldn't label, and that man was the cause of everything. She'd wanted to know the REAL him, but after everything she'd gone through that afternoon, she was reconsidering.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Her reflection was interrupted as he cleared his throat. "I know it's great, but that's not what I want to show ya. Follow me." He gestured her in the direction of the stairs, taking a right.

"Aww, no stroll on random plank walkways outside?" she teased, hurrying to catch up.

He rolled his eyes. "No. We're done livin' like slobs. Besides, can't have our guests getting a bad impression." At the top of the stairs, he turned left and came to a halt in front of a door. The door to his old room.

"Ah, I see, you wanted to get my opinion on a paint color for the kahuna's room? Critique the feng shui of it?" Alondra was joking, but she was actually quite confused. He'd been making a huge deal of this, and she couldn't figure out why showing her his room would be so exciting. Maybe he'd upgraded his throne?

"It ain't the kahuna's room," he said quietly, turning the doorknob. "It's yours." The door swung open, and with the flip of the light switch, the light of several lamps revealed an impeccably clean, elegant space. The bed was no longer awkwardly angled but flush with the wall, covered with a new dark purple comforter. All the bottles on the shelves had been removed, with a few books placed there instead to offer a glimpse of what it could be. The throne was gone, replaced with a comfortable-looking armchair, still flanked by the end tables. Even a dresser for clothes had been added. She gaped in surprise, trying to take it all in. "Didn't know what you'd want for decoration, so I left that up to you. If ya want something moved around, just let me know."

"Guzma…you're serious? This is…for me?" she breathed, throat starting to choke up. It wasn't having a place just for herself after all those nights sleeping in shared spaces. It wasn't seeing how he'd cleaned up the place and made it respectable. It was that he'd given her HIS room, the best room in the mansion in a totally selfless act.

He grinned at her reaction, though this time it wasn't teasing in the slightest. Guzma legitimately beamed at seeing her so emotional. "Yeah. Y-Ya like it?"

She bit her lip. "It's AMAZING! But…what about you? Where will you sleep?"

He shrugged. "There's plenty of rooms in this place. Might take Plumeria's old room in the west wing."

Alondra turned thoughtful. "I don't' want to complain, but…you're the kahuna! You should have the best, you're the one people are coming to see! You're the one Tapu Bulu chose! And this, this was your throne room! It's important to you!"

"Alondra." He grabbed her hands and spun her to face him. "I wouldn't be a kahuna without you and everything you've done for me. For that reason, you're the most important person here, not me. Besides…" he cleared his throat, averting his eyes, "…thrones are for losers who like to feel important. I've got somethin' worth way more now."

"Like…me?"

"Yeah." At that admission, his face turned red, and he quickly let go and turned, scratching his head.

She also felt the heat rush to her face, though it was in the best way possible. "Well…I guess if that's how you feel, who am I to turn you down? It's just that…"

"Don't even argue with me," he warned, raising an eyebrow.

She shot a warning look. "I was going to say, it seems to me that it is more than enough room for two people."

He could feel his heart beat a little faster. "What are ya getting at?"

"Well, I mean, i-if you want to, you and I could…you know, share the room?" She studied the carpet, holding her breath. Had that been too soon? It had just felt like the right moment to say it, with the way things had played out! She braced herself for the rejection.

"Is that what you want?" he asked instead, apparently in disbelief at her offer.

She took a deep breath. "Yeah. I mean, only if it's what you want."

Guzma stared for a few seconds, then suddenly closed the distance and delivered a deep kiss, taking her face in his hands. When they finally parted, she giggled. "I take that as a 'yes'?"

"I'm gonna go grab my things!" was his response as he bolted out the door, wings on his heels and a goofy grin covering his face. She stared, dazed, with a dumb smile plastered on her own face. Strange how much could change. This room used to be the last place she'd wanted to end up, but now it seemed they'd be making new, much more pleasant memories here.


	3. Following the Siren's Song

Alondra had wondered if she'd be able to sleep while sharing a bed with someone else for the first time. Would she accidently kick him? Roll over on him? Breathe in his face? Those worries quickly evaporated as exhaustion took her; it had been a long day of preparations for his first challengers and everyone in Po Town had been working extra hard. She was actually sleeping soundly when HE ended up waking HER.

She woke, groggily at first, trying to figure out if she was dreaming the sounds she was hearing. They were, in fact, actual sounds coming from the man sharing her bed, and they were growing steadily louder. Had they been snores, she would have rolled over and gone right back to sleep, but they were more like frantic grunts and groans. He actually started to squirm in his sleep. His breathing was rapid. He was obviously having a vivid dream, but what of? Now fully awake, she studied him intently in the dark, unsure of whether to wake him or not. The last straw was when he suddenly reached up and yanked at his hair, an action he was known to take when he was extremely agitated and upset. This was no dream, but a nightmare, and she would not sit by and watch.

"Guzma," she whispered intensely, not wanting to startle him too badly. "Guzma, wake up!" Her voice grew louder as he failed to respond, but still nothing. Finally, she reached over to gently shake him by the shoulders. It was a mistake. When he unconsciously felt her hands on him, he aggressively swatted her hand away, causing her to yelp more in surprise than in pain. That was enough to wake him. He bolted up, panting and sweating, trying to wrap his head around what was real and what was a dream. After a few moments, he finally looked around and noticed Alondra staring at him from her place beside him in bed. She was rubbing her bruising wrist tenderly, causing his face to pale. The current situation finally dawned on him.

"Alondra…what did I do?" he demanded anxiously, gripping the sheets tightly in his fists. "Did I hurt you?"

"I-I shouldn't have tried to wake you like that. You just smacked my hand away, that's all," she soothed, now placing her hands on his. "Nothing happened."

"But it could have…" he growled, furrowing his eyebrows in frustration. "I could have hurt you." Suddenly, he ripped his hands out from underneath hers and threw the covers off of himself. "This was a mistake. I shouldn't be sleeping with you, not the way I am."

He swung his legs over the edge of the bed, but before he could get up, she lunged towards him and hugged him around his waist. "Guzma, don't go. You shouldn't be alone when you're so shaken up."

"I'm keeping you awake!"

"And I won't sleep any better if you leave!" she demanded. "Now I'm worried. Can you tell me at least what you were dreaming about?" Soothingly, she ran her fingers over his exposed stomach, feeling him still quivering. She pressed her cheek against his back, his skin laced with scars and hot to the touch. He'd resist talking about it, but she'd make him talk eventually by wearing him down.

Actually, it shocked her how quickly he answered the question. Perhaps he was finally growing tired of avoiding it. "Aether." His spat out the word with more venom than his Ariados, and it all made sense. When he was working for Aether, mentally-unstable Lusamine had nearly pushed him over the precipice into the dark abyss. There was a time when Alondra had worried there would be no saving him he was too far gone. Seeing him that day when they stormed the corporation was something she wished she could erase from her mind, but it crept back again…

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

It was both insane and completely logical at the same time, but above all, it shocked her. As Hau and Alondra burst through the doors to the courtyard of the Aether complex, they'd come face to face with Team Skull, who provided a staunch defense despite how Gladion had plowed through a whole mess of them. "Woah, there's like an uku-billion Team Skull thugs in this place! So, the Foundation really WAS working with Team Skull? This is, like, way too mind-blowing to think about! Alondra, let's knock some skulls together for now."

"Right," she responded grimly, gripping a Pokeball in her hand. As much as she wanted to figure out how the two seemingly opposite groups were aligned and for what purpose, time was of the essence. She'd just have to keep her ears and eyes open as they pushed through. She and Hau commenced to battle their way to the front of Lusamine's mansion, where Alondra got a good view of Guzma crushing Gladion's Type Null and ending their battle.

Gladion weakly recalled his Pokémon. "Ngh, so I'm still not strong enough… All the days that I struggled alone and lonely…it was all for nothing? Is that it?" Gladion looked totally shaken, a look she'd never seen the typically arrogant boy wearing. He was bowed over, holding his hands out, palms up, as if begging the universe to answer him. To make things worse, this only seemed to amuse his opponent. He chuckled. "The hated boss who beats you down and beats you down and never lets up. Yeah, big bad Guzma's here!"

Alondra stepped in front of the boy, getting between him and Guzma's nasty grin. She glared. "What's your angle, Guzma? What are you doing here?"

"I did that spoiled little brat a favor and crushed him. Yeah, that was me." He paused thoughtfully. "Y'know, I kinda liked you, kid. Leaving home like that and wanting to get stronger and stronger. You had some real guts. Going so far as to coming over to Team Skull. And rejecting your own mother?! That was impressive!"

"Hey, you're talking to me, not him!" she snapped, a new anger rising within her. What had gotten into him? He wasn't this malicious in his previous encounters. In fact, it seemed to be getting worse each time she saw him, like some kind of poison spreading.

"Yeah, now it's your turn! You-" he pointed directly at Alondra, "keep getting up in my grill, like a cloud of smoke that I can't brush away." Guzma folded his arms, eyes ablaze. "It's time I put out your fire at the source." Before she knew it he was sending out his Golisopod, and they were battling yet again.

The ensuing battle was very different for two reasons. The first had to do with her: unlike in her previous two encounters, she was not secretly cowering this time, intimidated by his abrasive, belligerent nature. He'd aligned himself with the people trying to bring a dangerous creature to this dimension, and despite whatever Kukui thought of him, he was not 'harmless'; Po Town had made her believe otherwise even if this revelation didn't. And getting a kick out of beating down her teammate? Rubbing salt in his wounds? His obsession with winning was getting downright unhealthy, making her feel he'd stop at nothing to accomplish it. It rarely happened, but Alondra was now irate with the thug standing between her and Lillie. Yeah, that was right, a thug. Maybe she had been wrong, and there was no secret soft side to him like she'd once believed. And now, no one was going to stop her, especially not him. Resolve steeled, she sent out Osvaldo to make short work of Golisopod.

It didn't take long to notice the second change from their previous encounters: he was not holding back. As if he knew he'd have to get serious, he'd brought four Pokémon this time. None of them were a Caterpie. A formidable Pinsir and was easy enough to handle, though it wore her team down, but the Masquerain, a seemingly innocent-looking moth, caused several blows with its Air Cutter that left her team flinching. Of course, he wasn't pulling his punches either. Each move he planned for his team was like going for the jugular. When the dust had cleared, she was the victor, but it was just barely, each member of her team with extremely low health. Dang, after the easy time in Po Town, she'd underestimated him. Almost paid for it too.

"Hey, what's up with you? How come I can't smash you?" He practically threw the money at her face, making no pretense of hiding his rage. In record time, both hands were threaded in his hair, yanking more violently than ever as he practically flailed about in agitation. "Guzma, what's wrong with you?!" This time, he didn't shout it. He didn't speak it to himself. He hissed it between clenched teeth, like he was trying to hold back a flood of toxic emotions. For whatever reason, this was the variation that gave her the most chills. Loud anger was normal, but this…this was pure hatred. Why? Why was it always at himself and never at her, the one that kept foiling his plans? For crying out loud, he paid her every single time! He let her leave with the Yungoos when he could have easily held her hostage! He even complemented her skills in battle!

There was no time to study his reactions. "Tch." He stepped aside, leaving a clear path to the door. "Looks like I got no choice. Go on…go through." He turned his back to the group, and she could see his shoulders tremble with anger. Not waiting for him to change his mind, she and the other two boys darted past him and sprinted inside, leaving him to stew.

Once inside, the events became a blur. There was Lusamine, bashing her children. There was a collection of cryogenically frozen Pokemon with eyes wide open. There was a wormhole that opened before them, and a jellyfish-like Ultrabeast that came through it. But one thing she did remember clearly. Guzma warped into the room, and what happened next would never leave her.

"Madam Prez, the experiment was a success, huh?" He seemed to light up at the prospect, rubbing his hands with glee. "Looks like it's time to catch this wicked Ultra Beast to beat down these annoying upstarts!" Just as she'd feared, any means necessary. Did he not realize what he was dealing with? How dangerous this thing was?

"You're right. Guzma, quiet those children for me. I don't want to hear from them again," Lusamine said calmly, casting a malicious smile. Had that witch really just implied what Alondra thought she implied? She was bat crazy! Surely even a thug like Guzma wouldn't agree to-

When she looked at him, he wore a crazed expression, nodding eagerly and stepping towards them. That was it. He was evil, or insane, but either way he would never get her mercy again. He'd agreed without words to do Lusamine's bidding, even if it meant harming them. Things blurred again, as three separate battles broke out. This time she was tasked with facing off against Lusamine while Hau held off Guzma and Gladion took care of the Ultrabeast. In the end, all three accomplished what they'd needed to, and the beast began to flicker.

Lusamine noticed immediately and gasped. "No! The Ultra Wormhole is disappearing! Guzma. With me. We will catch the beast using the beast ball we've developed here."

And for whatever reason, despite the chaos surrounding him, Guzma was the calmest and most serious she'd ever seen him. He nodded resolutely with a "Yes, ma'am", following her obediently into the portal like a well-trained dog, no second thought about his course of action. Then, they were both gone, leaving her and the kids to pick up the pieces.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

She sighed heavily, thinking of him at his lowest. "It was a dark time for you. I know that now, though I didn't realize it then. I wish I could make it disappear, but then I guess you wouldn't be who you are today, right?"

She could feel him tense. "Would that be such a bad thing? I'm just a broken mess…"

"Who's working hard to put the pieces back together and come out stronger than ever," Alondra finished, giving him a squeeze around his waist and lightly kissing his back. "You know I care for you the way you are."

Guzma's throat tightened. When he'd first met Lusamine, he thought she was an angel and followed her without question, lost in spell of her honeyed words and the flattery he had so desperately craved. But Lusamine ended up being sin incarnate; she could make him feel so good at times, but then leave him crushed and hurting a second later. He supposed it was like being hooked on drugs, though he couldn't say from experience. But Alondra…she looked like an angel and legitimately ACTED like one as well. She demanded nothing from him, and offered him what he was truly needing to the stark contrast of Lusamine. The woman's flattery had been false, a ploy to get his obedience, but Alondra offered sweet words without any personal gain (and in fact, at times with sacrifices to herself when it came to standing up for him). Being with her now made him hurt, realizing just how stupid and blind he had been back then for thinking he had anything real with Aether's leader.

"I did so much shit," he admitted, voice cracking just enough for her to notice. "If she'd told me to jump off a bridge for her amusement, I bet I would have. As it was, I stole Pokémon for her so she could freeze them for her collection. She told me they had the science to simply unfreeze them and that they felt no pain suspended in that ice, and I completely believed her. I love Pokémon, but I let her treat them like objects for display!"

"Guzma…"

"And all that crap about finding her beasts, I did everything she told me to without thinking about how it could damage the world. She was absolutely INSANE, but I obeyed without question. And I hate myself so much for it…" Finally, hot tears escaped against his will. She could feel his chest heave with choked sobs. "Damn it, I don't want you to see me like this! Nobody's supposed to see me like this…"

Alondra wanted desperately to turn him around so he could just burry his face in her shoulder and get it out, but knew it would damage his fragile pride. All she could do was hold him tight from behind so he could hide his face from her. "And I hate that I was ready to condemn you without knowing what you were going through, all the pain you were suffering. I labeled you as the one manipulating your followers when YOU were the one being manipulated. She took advantage of you, and even though I know now she was being affected by toxins at the time, I still have such a hard time letting it go, even for Lillie and Gladion's sakes." Finally, Alondra released her grip on him to soothingly rub up and down his arms. "She hurt you, and that hurts me. And you are by all means entitled to have feelings about it without any judgement."

She felt his biceps flex as he raised an arm to roughly wipe away the tears. "I don't want ya taking on my burdens…"

"Split them between two and they are half as heavy," she reminded him gently. "As it is, thanks for telling me what was bothering you. I know you don't like to talk about that stuff, so it means a lot."

"You're so easy to please," he growled, finally turning around to face her. She could see the tracks of his tears in the dim light, which she moved to wipe away. "And the one night I needed the sleep… I'm going to be a mess tomorrow."

Alondra shrugged. "You were probably anxious about your first day and it triggered a nightmare. That's normal."

Guzma shook his head. "No. I get nightmares a lot. That's why I shouldn't have said yes to share this room."

Leaning over, she kissed his cheek. "Think again. I won't let you leave, even more so now that I know. I won't let you deal with your nightmares all by yourself. You're not alone any more. Now…" She folded back the covers, inviting him back in. "We got that taken care of, so now you can sleep well."

He hesitated. Really, he didn't want to bother her with his baggage. However, it seemed if he refused to crawl back in she'd chase him down and drag him back by the ear despite being a good foot shorter than him. It would be an argument for another day. Grudgingly, he did as she insisted, pulling the covers back over them both. She quickly turned so she lay on her side facing him. "Goodnight Guzma. Sweet dreams." Then she reached out to squeeze his hand before heaving a mighty yawn. Completely unperturbed by their emotional exchange, she fell asleep in minutes. Guzma watched the steady rise and fall of her chest, finally lulled into comfort. Maybe, just maybe, she could be the light that kept the nightmares away…

He hadn't realized he'd fallen asleep until he felt her shifting. And as soon as he woke, he realized with a bit of embarrassment that he had her wrapped in his arms.


	4. Free to Fear

**Author's Note:** Guzma deals with anxiety and you can't convince me otherwise. I imagine him having so much pressure to please as a kid, which carried over to his relationship with Lusamine. In the past, when he wasn't good enough, he was beaten by his dad or abandoned by Lusamine, the people he wanted praise from. Having Alondra is a huge change from what he is used to and he is slowly adjusting to that kind of acceptance. There's my headcannon in a nutshell.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

When Alondra awoke, it took a while of drowsy blinking and deep thought to figure out where she was. The bed was so comfortable, not like when she had been on those flimsy cots in the Pokémon center. Turning her head, she registered a dresser, with clothes strewn across the top. A man's clothes, flung haphazardly as if someone couldn't decide what to wear and couldn't be bothered to put them back neatly. Guzma? She squinted and finally sat up, stretching. Then, she noticed the "throne" of an armchair. Guzma's room! No, her room? Wait…their room. That was what they had decided on last night. But then…where was Guzma?

Ugh, so much had happened so fast. She suddenly recalled the events of that morning, of his frightful thrashing and frustrated tears. He'd wanted to leave and go suffer alone; had he waited until she fell asleep to sneak out? The thought brought a pang of sadness, thinking she couldn't console him when he was hurting. Heaving a heavy sigh, she threw back the covers and resolved to find him after a trip to the bathroom. He'd have to be up soon to get ready for his first day, and hopefully he was still asleep considering how little sleep he probably got the night before.

When she approached the east wing bathroom, the door was closed, and rustling could be heard on the other side. Curiosity got the better of her, and she knocked politely. "Guzma? Are you in there?"

Someone on the other side of the door jumped, clearly not expecting her. "Oh, uh, mornin' Alondra," the person inside mumbled, Guzma beyond a doubt. "What are ya doin' up so early?"

"Umm, it's 7:30 Guzma…"

He swore under his breath. "How'd it get to be so late?"

"Better question," she countered, leaning against the doorframe. "How long have you been up?"

There was momentary silence as he considered the answer. "Don't know, didn't look. Probably like 5:30."

"So you didn't really go back to sleep, did you?" Despite the door between them, he could hear the melancholy in that conclusion.

"Yeah, I actually did fall back asleep." He stopped, weighing something. "You sound upset about me being up so early. Trust me, Alondra, the fact that I went back to sleep at all is totally unusual when I have those nightmares. Ya helped me out."

A pause. "Did you stay after I fell asleep?"

This time, no hesitation. "Yeah, I stayed. You'd have hauled my ass back if I tried to escape. Besides…it was nice havin' ya with me."

Alondra blushed, glad he couldn't see it. "I'm happy I could do something for you. But then, why were you up so early?"

Several heartbeats passed before she got a reply. "Woke up and couldn't go back to sleep," was the terse reply she was given.

"Because of the nightmare, or because of…"

"Look, quit it with the interrogation, okay?!" Guzma's voice had escalated in aggravation, making the girl flinch. "Ya don't have to grill me about every little thing; I can take care of myself!"

She swallowed, ducking her head. "You're right, I asked too many questions. I know you're under a lot of stress, but I just wanted to make sure you were all right, so I'm not going to apologize for it. I'll go get ready and make breakfast so you can challenge those trainers at full strength. It'll be waiting downstairs…"

She turned to go, prepared to hike to the west wing bathroom and sort out her feelings when he exclaimed "Alondra, wait!" He could hear her footsteps stop, but got no further response. His hands were running through his hair anxiously, and he was thankful she could not see him do it; it always made her worry even more. "Question for you. Why do YOU think I woke up early?" For whatever reason, it wasn't so bad if she said it and not him.

"You are worried about your first day," she stated simply.

Worried? No, that word did not begin to cover the flood of panic and dread forming knots in his stomach, making him nauseous and causing his head to spin. People worried about whether it would rain, or if they'd arrive on time, or if there was enough food in the fridge for the guests. This was not it, not by a long shot. "I'm not worried, Alondra, I'm…" he choked on the word that best described his feelings: terrified. Then, he collapsed to a seat on the closed toilet, holding his head in his hands and trying to take deep breaths like she recommended he do in these situations.

She could hear it all, and she could fill in the blank easily. Though he was beginning to open up to her, Guzma generally didn't let people see this side of him. But that didn't mean he hadn't ever felt it. He felt it often, she'd come to realize, no matter how he denied it. It was never when presented with physical danger; she was fairly certain that man would tackle a rampaging Tauros without hesitation. No, it was always in the times when he might be judged and come out a failure, threats created or amplified completely in his mind. With pretty much everyone else, he stuffed those feelings into the deepest recesses of his mind and put on the act of aggression and confidence, his best defenses. Big Bad Guzma couldn't be hurt by anyone.

There had been only one time before today (she was counting his near confession as close enough) that he'd admitted to being afraid. That moment had changed her view of him forever, but if he'd felt it would ruin his reputation, he couldn't have been further from the truth…

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

It was dark. Some glowing blue…crystals?...provided a dim light, but it was hard to make out more than forms wherever they had been dumped off by Nebby. With only one way to go, however, it mattered very little what they could see, and both girls resolutely strode forward in search of Lusamine.

They found someone else first, though. Lillie spotted him, sitting high atop a tall rock pillar and leering down at them, like another specter in this gloom-filled void along with the Nihilengo. Whatever reason for his position high up from the ground, it wasn't to avoid the beasts; Alondra could see them floating around lazily in the background at his level. A vantage point to spy for enemies? Gritting her teeth, Alondra's hand quickly found Osvaldo's Pokeball. There wasn't a time yet where their meeting hadn't ended in a battle. The man practically thirsted for it, craved it for his own validation. And now, with them here to spoil Lusamine's fun, he'd probably do anything to stop them. At this point, she was certain that anything really could be ANYTHING, moral or not.

They locked eyes. "I'm the Team Skull boss, and I've never been scared of nothing or nobody," he began forcefully, the very image of assertive cool. "Heck, I live my life making people scared of ME. So listen to what Big Bad Guzma has to say." He paused, closing his eyes, then suddenly made a face that nearly made her fall over in shock. "Y'all are stupid!"

"We…what?!" Alondra blinked, entirely confused. Of all the things she expected the villain to say, that line would have been towards the bottom of the list at best. She looked over to Lillie, who gaped as well.

Seizing the moment, Guzma slid down the rock face so he was towering before the two girls, hands on his hips and inspecting them suspiciously. That would have been cause for alarm, but even more shocking than his assertion was the fact that she couldn't sense the same malevolence he had emitted during their last confrontation. This felt…more like the Guzma at the Malie Gardens. Why…?

"How in the world did you even get to this place?" he interrupted. But he left them no time to respond. "I don't know how you did it, but here you are." He abruptly turned away, his voice bouncing off the cold stone walls. "It's all dark here. I've got no clue what's going on, but there's beasts everywhere. I tried to catch one of those things…" he paused for a moment, then shuddered. "But it possessed me! And that's when it happened. My body, my mind…they started running wild and I couldn't do anything about it!"

Alondra was now staring. She leaned over to Lillie and whispered in her ear "He's finally gone completely crazy, hasn't he?"

As if on cue, he turned around to address them again, eyes gaining that wildness she'd seen during his post-battle frenzies. It was slightly different though; desperate as it was, it wasn't anger that fed it, but fear. Fear? Yes, Guzma who went around threatening to beat down anyone and everything was actually afraid! Just what had all transpired while they were trapped in this alternate world?

"It was like I became someone else!" he exclaimed, voice escalating. "I finally felt what fear feels like! It was terrifying!" And just like that, he started his routine of grabbing his hair and shaking his head savagely. Lillie, who had never seen this behavior before, looked very much concerned for him, wide green eyes softening as he told his story. Alondra was still trying to juggle a great many thoughts about him and wasn't about to let him off the hook so quickly. Finally, Guzma turned around once more. "I may be the Team Skull boss, and I've never been scared of nothing or nobody, but…that lady…she's on another level! She's way far gone." Lady? He must mean Lusamine!

Lillie had the same thought. "You mean my mother?"

He ignored her. "She lost her mind over these Ultra Beasts. There's no talking with her, no reasoning with her… She's just gone." Was she imagining things, or did Guzma sound…pained?

Lillie was worried about other things. "That doesn't change anything! I still have to go!" She grasped the straps of her backpack tightly in determination. Not waiting for the older girl to take the lead, she pushed past doggedly, leaving Guzma and Alondra.

"That little runt is really going for Lusamine," Guzma stared. "I didn't think she had it in her."

"Hmph. She's grown a lot. Besides, you don't give up on the people you love, not even when it seems they've lost all hope. If anyone can get Lusamine to see reason, it's her."

For the first time, Guzma seemed deflated. "I tried everything, but she wouldn't listen to me. She just…left me here. After all the shit I did for her…" And Alondra was shocked to realize that he sounded vulnerable. Hurt. Abandoned even. Big Bad Guzma shouldn't have felt sad about Lusamine cutting ties with him, but here he was, stripped of all cockiness, coming across as downright dejected. She really had no idea what to say.

"So…you coming with us to sort her out?"

"What's the point? I already told you she won't listen to me!" he spat, digging his toe into the stony ground. "Besides, I ain't goin' anywhere near that freaky jelly-fish." He shuddered at the memory of his possession, a look of pain crossing his face. This response floored Alondra; was he even the same man she had recently sworn to hate not long ago?

"Fine. Stay here and we'll come back for you as soon as we straighten her out." Alondra shifted her bag on her shoulders and began to follow in Lillie's direction, pushing her confusion to the back of her mind.

As she walked away, she caught a faint murmur, one she was half-convinced she'd imagined. "Yeah, right, sure you will." A look back, and she saw Guzma sitting on the ground, hugging his knees to his chest, his head pressed against the tops of them so he was as small of a ball as the tall man could be. It was clear he didn't believe her words for a minute. Unconsciously, she bit her lip. There wasn't time to worry about him, but if they made it back…ugh! Why the heck was she so worried for such a jerk all of a sudden?

In a huff, she sprinted away, leaving him alone in the dark. Memories of his teammates flooded her as she ran, of them begging her to bring 'their boy' back, even though they were the same ones who worried about his rages. Though his violent, volatile and downright rude side showed clearly, his subordinates found him worth abandoning their pride for and displayed the utmost loyalty to him. Was it possible for him to have brainwashed them to such an extent? And even Plumeria apologized for her actions and tried to explain why he needed saving: he'd wanted to impress Lusamine, who gave him the attention and praise he craved, no matter what she asked of him. Seeing him afraid and alone in the dark, it finally clicked for her that Plumeria might actually be right, and that Guzma needed help in more ways than one. What a complicated mess!

Well, it wouldn't matter what happened to him if they couldn't get back to Alola, so better to focus on Lusamine and Nebby at the moment. Then, if things actually went well, she could revisit this puzzle she had previously abandoned. It seemed abandonment was what the subject feared most.

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Alondra licked her lips, trying to consider what to say. He might think the fear made him weak, but that fear was what had made her realize he was human, not all bad, with motivations for the crap he'd pulled. Finally showing his fear had been the first step in the process of getting to truly understand him in a way he hadn't allowed prior to that. Even now, the fact that he was trying his hardest to express it openly made her confident he was trying to be a better man. How could she put into words the ways she wanted to reassure him that she didn't find it pathetic?

Finally, she spoke. "How can I help you right now, Guzma?" Leaning forward, she pressed her forehead against the wooden door and closed her eyes. She knew well enough by now that pressing him made him feel cornered, and that then led to anger. It was best to be gentle when fear gripped him.

"You can't do anything. It's all about what I have to do. What if I make a kid cry? What if I lose my temper? What if…" He inhaled deeply. "What if no one trusts me even though Tapu Bulu chose me, and they just show up throwing rocks or crap because I'll never be more than Team Skull's leader? God, Alondra, what if they don't give me a chance?"

She thought carefully. "Well, in the latter instance, I would swoop in like a Fearow and smack them around like a Wigglytuff. I won't let anyone put you down for a past you've moved on from, I don't care who they are! I'll be right there at your side defending you the whole way." There was no response, so she continued. "And if you make a kid cry, well, you'll just have to make them laugh. Kids are easily moved like that. Just give them that face you made when you yelled 'y'all are stupid'! I know it still cracks me up!" She smiled fondly. "And if you lose your temper? You might get really upset, but I don't think you will lose it. You've been doing so much better controlling yourself. Does any of that help?"

He sighed. "Well, I still don't know if I can eat breakfast, but…yeah. Kind of. Knowing I've got someone on my side helps" He took a shaky breath and withdrew his hands from his hair. "I…I'm supposed to be such a hard dude, but I…don't know if I could face all this on my own. That frustrates me too."

"Guzma, you don't have to face anything alone anymore. I'm here for you, and that doesn't make you any less."

"I know." Pause. "Thanks, Alondra."

"Now, will you come out? You have to at least drink some juice or something before we get set up."

She could hear him rise, knees cracking from the effort, and plod towards the door. "Umm, Alondra…I don't even know if I picked out a decent outfit to wear. You'll tell me if it's no good, right?"

"Yeah, I can handle that. Hurry, I wanna see!"

Slowly, the handle turned and the door swung open, revealing the slouched figure of the kahuna. He'd apparently taken a shower, though his hair had been slightly fluffed back up when he toweled off. He still had the undershirt typical to his style, but instead of his ex-Team Skull jacket, he'd found a purple button-up t-shirt, which hung open loosely. The normal sweatpants were replaced with a pair of long gray cargo pants. He'd kept his favorite shoes and watch. As she studied him, she noticed he reached up to scratch the back of his head nervously. "How bad is it?" Alondra couldn't help it; she giggled, causing him to glare. "That ridiculous, huh?"

She shook her head vehemently. "No, Guzma, you look so cute like this!" Her words made him blush furiously.

"How many times do I hafta tell ya, I'm not cute!"

"Well, let's say you're cute to me. I think everyone else will just think you look like a kahuna," she assured him. "You look cleaned up, but not too formal. It's almost perfect."

"Almost?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, almost. I've got one more thing that will really finish off the look. But you have to come with me!" Excitedly, she grabbed him by the wrist and began dragging the much taller man down the hall and back to the bedroom.

"You're makin' me nervous," he mumbled as he stood in the doorway, watching her dig through her bag in frenzied search of something.

"Well, you shouldn't be. I should be! I mean, what if you don't like it?" she retorted without looking up. Then, she stumbled upon it with a cry of triumph. "Okay, you have to close your eyes and lean down a bit."

"Because you're a shrimp?" Guzma smirked. He loved finding chances to tease her, and her indignant huff was well worth it.

"No, because you are freakishly tall! Just do it!" she rolled her eyes.

"Fine, fine." Closing his eyes, he ducked his head down just a bit. He wasn't sure if this was what she had in mind, but it was his best guess. Focusing on her movements, he could feel her reach around his neck, then the cool touch of metal against his skin. A necklace? "Can I look now?"

"Yeah, do it!" she enthused, stepping back. He did so, and noticed immediately that it was a golden chain similar to his Team Skull pendant. However, instead of the logo, this necklace had the emblem of a Golisopod head in all its ferocity and charm. Huh, so she was right; it really did finish the look. Completely perfect for the bug-wielding kahuna. Except for…

Walking over to the dresser, he grabbed his yellow shades and positioned them on his forehead. "There. Now your boy is ready."

She followed, smiling gently and reaching up to adjust the collar of his shirt over the chain. "Yeah, my boy is."

Guzma did not waste the opportunity. With her reaching around him so close to his body, he pressed the back of her head upwards to meet his mouth, pulling a long, slow kiss from her lips. When they finally pulled apart, he grinned. "And that's what I think about the necklace."


	5. Master, Student, and the Third Wheel

**Author's Note:** The title is so accurate... Alondra is kind of taking the backseat here as Hala steps in to test his student. Biggest challenge was trying to rationalize barging into Guzma's room in these random strangers' house when he'd just left Team Skull! And he just seems to roll with it in the game, but seriously, what the heck?

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Alondra had succeeded in getting him to drink a mug of Tapu Cocoa and nibble at some toast before they headed out to the mansion's front lawn. There, Guzma took time to call out his Pokémon for a stretch, a bask in the sun, and a morning brushing. Even after the months they'd been 'together', Alondra was not sure how one brushed bug Pokémon, but Guzma apparently had it down to an art and did so religiously each day. As she hurried to the Pokémon center to double check that everything was in place, she couldn't keep a smile off her face as she thought about how Guzma was the world's biggest softie when it came to his babies. His creepy, crawly babies… No matter what they looked like or what people thought about bugs, she knew they'd been his constant companions through a lot of turbulent times in his life, and he probably viewed them as the only ones who had never hurt him or betrayed him or abandoned him. He always returned that loyalty ten-fold. Truthfully, the tender side he showed with his Pokémon was one of the big reasons she had feelings for him.

After a quick conversation with the ex-grunts working the counter and a final sweep of the center for anything missing or out of place, Alondra made her way back to the lawn, hoping she hadn't missed anything during her inspection. In fact, he was still where she'd left him, with Ariados climbing around in the trees, Pinsir soaking in the sun, Masquerain fluttering about the newly planted gardens, and Golisopod curled up and purring like Alondra's Meowth (which never ceased to amaze her). Guzma was leaned against Golisopod's hard exoskeleton deep in thought.

"Hey you, is everybody ready to go? They look like they're more ready for a nap!" she joked, settling in beside him. Golisopod was, by this point, no stranger to Alondra, and he took no issue with her being in his space, only shifting slightly and chirping even louder.

"Yeah. I, uh, thought something would have happened by now," he admitted nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Maybe instead of having an angry mob, nobody will show up…"

"You know, come to think of it, every time I ever challenged a kahuna, they were… let's see… Hala spent all his time chasing a Tauros around the island, Olivia was working at her shop, Nanu was…" she stopped, snickering. "Spying on you and offering to deliver my corpse back home…"

Guzma snorted. "Sounds like something that crazy geezer would say!"

"Hmm, and Hapu actually just followed me around the entire island waiting for me to be ready for a challenge. So, long story short, I guess none of the kahunas just sat around with a neon sign over their head that said 'battle me'."

"Yeah, but there's been a week hiatus while we switched over officially. SOMEONE should be waiting," he pointed out glumly.

Alondra wasn't sure what to say. It was true what he said. And gosh darn it, if no one came, would that be even worse than all the things he worried could happen? He'd be stewing in his anxiety for even longer, while even one battle would probably put most of his worries to rest.

Just then, a familiar voice cut through. "Ho ho! Ready and waiting, my boy?"

Both Alondra and Guzma gaped as they looked to the sky. A Charizard was lowering itself for landing in the large, spacious yard, and the rider was none other than perennially jovial Kahuna Hala, who beamed from his perch atop the Pokémon. The gusts from its wings set Guzma's bugs flying, and he quickly recalled them with a scowl. "Crazy old man…"

As soon as the giant flying lizard landed, the Kahuna leapt off and dismissed him with a pat on the nose. He waited until the Pokémon was back in the sky before attempting to communicate with his student. "I thought maybe you would sleep in like you normally do?"

Guzma rolled his eyes. "It's not like I'm avoiding morning mediation or anything."

Hala walked over and put a hand on his shoulder. "So you skipped it, or did you get to it?"

"We've…had enough to worry about this morning," Alondra volunteered in Guzma's defense. He flashed her a grateful look.

"Hmm, I see." He thought for a brief moment, then the smile returned. "So then, boy, if you are raring to go, let's get started."

Guzma blinked. "What, you mean, battle you?"

"Kahuna against kahuna, the ultimate duel. It's time to see just how you've progressed. Now, where are you planning on having these battles?"

"Uh, right here on the lawn?" Guzma offered. When Hala looked at him skeptically, he raised his hands in defense. "Geez, ya know I hate all that ceremony and crap. We ain't building some ritual platform out here! Besides, the grass is more natural for the Pokémon, ya know? We got the yard lookin' halfway decent here…"

"Hmph," Hala chuckled, relaxing. "Just making sure."

"You thought I was bein' lazy, didn't ya?" Guzma retorted in annoyance, hand finding Golisopod's pokéball. "I'll show ya just how lazy I've been old man!"

"So be it. Three on three?" Hala took a battle pose as he reached for his own Pokéballs.

"You bet! I hope you won't throw out your back goin' all out, gramps!"

Even though his words might sound disrespectful to some, Hala wasn't offended in the slightest. Alondra knew he expected it from his pupil after all these years, and it was the closest to a term of endearment Guzma had for his mentor. However, that wasn't all; both Alondra and Hala recognized immediately that there was no mention of crushing, beating down, or destruction as the battle began. A year ago when Hala took him back as an apprentice, he'd made it clear those expressions of Guzma's showed his heart was not in the right place when it came to battling. Actually, she hadn't heard him say any such thing since that battle on the Hau'oli beachfront. Some might say it was the day Guzma's heart was finally moved to change…

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

The rain came out of nowhere, an apparently typical summer shower. Alondra had been heading up Route 2 on her way to visit the cemetery when it began without warning, sending her scurrying to the nearest shelter. That shelter happened to be the house of a couple she had met months earlier on her initial trek up the road, and even after all that time she still wondered absently as she knocked on their door if their prodigal son had ever returned.

The woman answered, and quickly allowed her to rest inside until the rain stopped. She seemed just as fidgety and flighty as before, hurrying to the kitchen to pour her a drink. Her husband didn't stir from his spot in front of the television. As the woman worked, Alondra's eye was drawn once more in idle curiosity to the framed pictures of their missing son. However, unlike the last time she'd studied them, things were different. Her eyes widened in shock as she realized that the boy in the pictures, sturdy and tall, bleached white hair with a dark undercut and deep gray eyes, looked just like someone she knew. Sure, seeing the kid look so happy with a radiant smile as he clutched his trial amulet was hard to comprehend, but the Wimpod on his shoulder made it even more obvious.

Alondra's heart thundered in her chest. Risking a glance at the couple, she noted both were otherwise occupied. Curiosity drove her to the breaking point. She slid over to the bedroom door, still clearly labeled with a sign that said 'Keep Out', and this time instead of obeying the message, she cracked open the door. The person behind it nearly gave her a heart attack.

"I thought I told ya to…what the hell?!" Guzma had been flopped on his bed until he noticed Alondra was definitely not one of his parents. Once that registered, he bolted up. "What are ya doin' in my room?!"

If it were possible, her jaw would have hit the ground. "G-Guzma?" she stammered. Clues she'd at least expected, but having him actually there behind the door was another thing entirely.

"You nosy brat! Can't ya read the sign? I don't know what you think you're doing here, but…" he seemed to think for a second. "I actually needed to talk to you. Get your rear to the Hau'oli City Beachfront!" Jumping up, he grabbed his bag from his dresser and stormed out of the room. She could hear the front door slam behind him.

Mere seconds later, Guzma's mom burst into the room. "What happened?"

"Guzma…lives here?" she gasped, still trying to wrap her head around it. Big Bad Guzma actually had parents. A home he could have gone to. Somehow she never imagined that sort of life for the leader of a gang.

"Oh, you know our Guzma!" the woman brightened a bit. "It's so nice to see our boy made some friends! Why didn't you mention anything?"

"What the hell, woman!" The voice of Guzma's dad suddenly cut through over the din of the television. "Did that LOOK like friendship to you? He probably pissed her off like he does everybody else and stormed off like the snot-nosed brat he is."

"N-no, I'm sure he…"

"Actually, we were just going to go meet up at the Hau'oli beach. He was so excited he just ran off," Alondra attempted, feeling super awkward at his father's outburst. "I'd better go catch up; he's such an impatient guy!" With a nervous laugh, she made a break for the door, withering a bit under the man's suspicious glare. He'd become downright toxic as soon as Guzma had been mentioned, enough to give her a knot in her stomach.

As soon as she made it outside, she realized his mother had followed her. "Wait, Alondra, was it? You forgot your snack!" she insisted, holding out a hastily bagged treat.

"Thank you ma'am, but you didn't have to…"

"I'm so glad Guzma has a friend! People have been spreading all kinds of nasty rumors about him since he left home, but I know none of that is true. It's a relief to know someone else realizes it too."

Incredible. Guzma's mom was not even aware that her son was the leader of Team Skull? No, that wasn't right; she had to be aware but had such a powerful sense of denial that such a thing was impossible to her. Not that she was going to argue the point with this woman… "Well, what can I say? He's not afraid to say what he thinks. But as I've gotten to know him, I'm starting to see he's not all that bad." Considering his dad spewed venom about him and his mom pretended her family was perfect, Alondra was actually starting to believe the bad in him WASN'T just coming from him.

"Thank you for that. Now, you two go have fun!" She waved with a warm smile and disappeared back inside the house. So. Strange. She'd have to think more on it later. Right now, she apparently had a date with Guzma on the beach. If she knew him as well as she thought she did, it was going to involve a beat down, so she'd better prepare a strong team of Pokémon…

...

"So, you showed up," he mused, hands stuffed in the pockets of his sweatpants and slouching as always. He'd picked the far corner of the beach far enough away from the swimmers and playing children. This, she noted, was probably for the better considering the dirty looks everyone on the beach seemed to radiate in his direction. Honestly, if he wanted to go unnoticed it would be better to get a different jacket rather than simply put a big red 'x' over the Team Skull logo!

"You seem surprised. You don't think I'm curious enough to take the bait? Especially after running into you like that?" she retorted.

Guzma grunted. "Forget about that. I've got more important things to worry about."

"Like…"

"Well, Alondra, it's time to battle your boy!" Before the sentence was half out of his mouth he had a Pokéball in hand.

Ah, so predictable. Of course, he'd always been so close to beating her it probably drove him crazy. "All right, I figured as much. I don't want you holding anything back!" She took a few steps back to leave some room for the combatting Pokémon.

"Ya think I would do somethin' that stupid?!" he huffed, looking insulted.

"You've tried to battle me with only two Pokémon in the past…" she pointed out.

"Yeah, well, this is to make up for when I had to disband Team Skull! Just so you know, I'll never change!" He narrowed his eyes. "Wanna see what destruction looks like? Here it is in human form – it's your boy Guzma!"

In all honesty, Guzma should have won. He had done an excellent job raising his Pokémon, and knew just the right moves to give them to compensate for their weaknesses despite all being of the same type. Even in the heat of battle, Alondra suddenly thought that he'd make a killer gym leader back in Kanto. Could he do that? How did one become a gym leader? The fainting of her Carlos snapped her out of her wandering thoughts, replacing them with guilt. She was letting her Pokémon down by being so distracted. But he was so passionate! It was like the first time they'd battled back in Malie, when he had no grudge against her and nothing to prove, when he was simply battling as a trainer and not as an enemy. The intensity this time was not tainted by malice, and oh how she wanted him to be rewarded for that!

Still, she couldn't throw a match in good conscience. He'd never forgive her if she did, that was for certain. As it was, when the dust (or sand, as it were) settled, all five of Guzma's Pokémon had fallen with her on her sixth and last Pokémon, extremely beat up. Shoot, so close! If he'd just gotten a critical hit or something… "Dang it, if you'd had a sixth Pokémon…"

"Guzma, what is wrong with you?! This outcome hasn't changed at all either!" Her words died in her throat as this familiar pattern repeated, the pain written all over his face. What could she say to him that he would listen to? Despite the incredible battle they'd just had, he was angry at himself for failing. Any compliment she could offer would be deflected when he was in such a state.

Just then, a shadow was cast over their battlefield in the sinking sunlight. Both participants quickly turned their heads to see the bulky form of Kahuna Hala standing near them, chuckling deeply. "Well played, Alondra."

Guzma scowled and lowered his head. "You came all the way here just to watch me lose, huh? Must be nice to be a lazy old island kahuna with nothing better to do." Despite the cutting words, his slouching posture and averted eyes conveyed his sense of defeat.

Hala either didn't notice or simply brushed it off. "What a high opinion of yourself you have. Ha! I just happened to see Alondra here so I thought I would come over."

Guzma clenched his fists defensively. "You wanna get beat down old man?"

Hala turned to face him and him alone for the first time, his smile now more sympathetic than beaming. "Oh Guzma, when will you understand? Only when you respect your opponent's skill will it bring out the best in you. You miss the true meaning of battling! The goal is not to beat your opponent down, but for both trainer's to grow stronger."

This seemed to strike a nerve with Guzma, as if Hala had just told him a huge lie. "I don't care what you say to me, yo! Beating people down is all I know."

"But the battle I just saw seemed a bit different. While you may say you're only interested in crushing your opponent, I sensed a desire to defeat Alondra deep in your heart."

Guzma turned away roughly, hands on his hips in defiance, but both Alondra and Hala could see he was shaken by that observation. "What do you know, old man?!"

"If you continue on this path, you will never be able to defeat Alondra. Guzma, admit the worthiness of your opponents! Only then can you become even stronger than you already are! Allow yourself to know the people and Pokémon you encounter, and look deeply into your heart."

When Guzma answered, the bitterness in his voice was evident. "You're still trying to front like you're my master, huh? I gave up on you a long time ago." And like that, a piece of the puzzle was made clear for Alondra. She knew he and Kukui were connected, but Hala was apparently the linking piece. Guzma had once studied under the kahuna? They'd had some sort of falling out? It seemed Guzma still held onto some resentment towards the kindly man, for what she could not imagine.

Now, Hala turned his attention back to Alondra. "Alondra, allow me to handle this foolish young man. I will make a fine trainer out of him yet, or I am not an island kahuna! I hope that can be considered penance for the wrongs he and Team Skull have committed."

"Tch," was his only remark to that proposal.

"Oh ho ho, the two of us will go many places together! And we will meet more people and Pokémon who will enrich our lives!" With that, he began to walk off, still chuckling to himself.

Once he was out of earshot, Guzma's posture finally softened, shoulders slumping. "Master…" Alondra blinked, though kept her mouth shut. Could it be that Guzma did want to fix things between him and Hala deep down?

Suddenly, he turned to address her. "I ain't never gonna ask you to forgive me, so don't get it twisted – this is no apology. But shut up and take this!" Digging in the front pocket of his bag, he withdrew a Dawn Stone and pressed it roughly in her hands. For the first time, she realized just how big his hands were, and chilled too despite the weather. "I got it for my first ever victory, and it's always been like my lucky charm." Zipping his bag back up, he slung it over his shoulder and faced the ocean looking thoughtful. "Who knows what the Alolan winds will bring? Next time we meet, I'm counting on you to test how strong I've gotten."

Her heart skipped a beat. He intended to see her again? And a strange part of her ached to think it was only so he could defeat her. Well, it wasn't as if she'd been overly chatty with him…why should he care a lick about her beyond her skills as a trainer? And why should she even care what this ex-criminal thought of her? Suddenly, spurred on by the mass of confusing emotions spinning in her chest, she shouted at his back as he began walking away, "I won't leave it to chance! Travel wherever with Hala, but I will find you again, that's a promise! And… for crying out loud, get a sixth Pokémon on your team or next time I'm going down to five, got it?"

He didn't stop walking, but he craned his head to look back at her in surprise. What must she look like, standing alone in her corner of that busy beach, strands of dark hair billowing in the breeze and the bizarre and unwanted glimmer of tears in her eyes? Yeah, she wasn't usually one for outbursts like that, and her gut reaction made no sense to anyone, not even herself. Slowly, a smug smile crept across his face and he flashed a thumbs up.

She returned the smile weakly, and once he was gone for good, she sighed and looked to the sky. _Not only that. Before I see you again, I won't just find you; I'll find the REAL you._

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Caught in her memories, the battle was over before she knew what was happening. Hala, as a fighting trainer, struck hard and fast, and Guzma was certainly the definition of impatient, especially in a fight. It also helped that both combatants were extremely familiar with their opponent's Pokémon and had clearly developed strategies throughout their many battles. In the end, the last blow belonged to Hala's heavily poisoned Primeape, whose rock slide finally managed to hit Ariados despite its agility. Both parties had suffered nearly equal losses, a testament to how evenly matched they were.

When Ariados fell, Alondra was suddenly hyper-aware of Guzma's reaction. Honestly, she hadn't seen him battle seriously since that day on the beach, and there was no telling how he'd changed, if at all, under these circumstances. He was a kahuna now, and she prayed silently that he'd be able to handle the pressure with some restraint.

Withdrawing Ariados with a quiet word of praise, his left hand found its way into his hair. However, this time, instead of pulling at his hair, he simply gripped it and took a deep breath. "Serves me right for not using Masquerain. I didn't take you seriously enough."

"I was wondering about that," Hala mused, likewise withdrawing his Pokémon after giving it praise. "Any reason for that in particular?"

"Hmph. Thought it'd be unfair to slice ya with flying moves being that your fighting is naturally at a disadvantage against my bugs. But I shoulda known better than to show you mercy!" His hand flexed in his hair, but remained in place. It seemed to keep him anchored without causing him actual pain. His expression still showed annoyance at himself, but he kept his thoughts in his own head.

"Guzma. Being polite." At that, Hala let out a full-belly laugh. Walking over, he placed a hand on his shoulder. "That's not something you would have done a year ago, my boy."

"I wanna beat ya fair and square!" he frowned. "I'm so close, but still…"

"Hey, I'm an old man, right? At least that's what you say," Hala reached up to put his other hand on Guzma's other shoulder. "I've been doing this for many, many years. The fact that one of my own students, such a young man, is nearly ready to overtake me makes me think it will be time to retire soon! But, there's something even more important you've shown me."

"If you start some mushy crap about being a nice guy, I'm gonna puke," Guzma warned, raising an eyebrow.

Hala laughed again. "Well, you'll never lose that rebellious edge of yours. But that's what makes you Guzma, after all. Really though, you were in control at all times today. That is what I was really here to check on."

"And he passed your inspection, didn't he?" Alondra finally cut in, beaming proudly. "Super tough and able to keep his cool! That's my boy!" She flashed a grin at Guzma, who turned bright red.

"Sheesh, Alondra, ya don't hafta put it that way… You're as bad as the old man!"

"Heh, well, I agree with her. To be honest, Guzma, people have been asking me how I feel about your appointment as kahuna, and I haven't given an answer yet. You know I don't lie, and I wasn't sure if you were ready for that kind of responsibility. You'd made great strides in the last year, but whether it was enough to handle this job, I couldn't say. So, I wanted to see for myself what kind of kahuna you'd be, so I could give people my answer. You're not stupid, Guzma. You know people have been apprehensive about your appointment by Tapu Bulu."

"Yeah, the Tapu who destroys a shopping center and sends torrential rains to drive people off picked a kahuna just as well versed in destruction," he sighed heavily. "Kinda hard to take a guy like me seriously all things considered."

"Well, I can tell you no one will probably come challenge you today. I told people to wait until I'd given my examination and provided the full report. However, once I elaborate on how ready you truly are, they will come. I'd be ready for some trainers tomorrow."

Guzma's eyes widened. "You'd…hype me up?"

Hala put his hands on his hips sternly. "You may be my pupil, but you know as well as anyone I don't baby you. Whatever words I have to say about you are earned, not done as any favor on my part. YOU…" he jabbed Guzma in the chest with his index finger, "…earned it for yourself. I'm just here to make sure people see when they would otherwise refuse to open their eyes. Now, I must be off." Hala pulled out his ride pager to summon Charizard, leaving Guzma to stare.

Alondra snuck up beside him. "Well, that solves a couple problems, don't you think? And now you get the rest of the day off!"

"I guess it does," he mumbled, fidgeting with his Pokeballs. "First things first, gotta get these guys to the Pokémon center…"

"No, BEFORE the first thing, you've got something to say to someone," she hissed, nudging him.

Hala was boarding the Charizard that had come to land, the elderly man still spry for his age. Before he could take off, Guzma hollered up at him. "Hey, old man!"

"Hmm?"

There was a pause, and Guzma's face was contorted as he grappled with his words. "Th-thanks." Not a phrase he used often, it sounded rusty from disuse. Despite its awkwardness, Hala beamed down.

"No problem, my boy. Now, with your extra time, get your morning mediation done, eh?" With a wave of his hand, he was off, Charizard flapping its wings mightily as it went airborne. He couldn't keep the smile from his face, though certainly hidden from view. His student that he'd feared he'd failed all those years ago, was back on track and heading for the top in the right way. And… He snuck a glance down and noticed Alondra had thrown her arms around him, holding him tightly. Ever awkward about displays of affection, Guzma was tentatively reciprocating. He was in good hands here with her.


End file.
